NEWSFLASH: Republicans Aren't on Your Side

The State of the Union is always a big deal in politics. Unless there's a presidential election, it's generally the event of the year. And this one went pretty well (Read the transcript here or view the video here). Whether it's a good speech or a bad speech, it's always the most important speech ever, picked apart by pundits and encoded into spin by opponents and other pundits

Initial reactions in the chamber itself are usually limited to displays of disapproval through withholding applause, not rising to your feet when the other party does, slow claps, head shaking, slouching, etc. Rep. Joe Wilson was apparently locked in a steamer trunk like Houdini, since he managed to refrain from voicing his opinion this time around.

For their part, Republicans favored the "don't stand up, don't applaud" approach. At the time, I wondered if maybe the GOP weren't such sourpusses about everything just because they're too lazy; "Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down... Who needs it? I'm going to be against everything! That way I can relax."

There's actually some evidence to support my little hypothesis of a Republican preference for leisure. Over at Crooks and Liars, Nicole Belle catches the Republicans showing disapproval for some very odd things:

Assistance and tax credits for small businesses to create new jobs:

Or ending tax breaks for companies that send American jobs overseas:

Student loans and helping Americans get higher education:

Prohibiting foreign money from influencing our elections:

"Nice to see where small business, education and oligarchy play into the GOP's values, isn't it?" she asks. I wouldn't say "nice." Unless there's some definition of the word that's a synonym for "appalling."

If you ever needed evidence that the Republican Party is being against things to be against things, there ya go. It's obstructionism for the sake of harming the president and the Democrats, not for the good of the nation. If you're against barring foreign influence in US elections, doesn't that suggest that you're for it? And since when have the GOP been against tax breaks? It's either politically strategic obstructionism or just brain-dead, knee-jerk, reactionary non-thinking. Whichever it is, it shows that these people are not on your side.

Hey teabaggers, how about you? Do you want China spending money in US campaigns? If so, you're as much a bunch of morons as I've always suspected you were. Are you against tax breaks for small businesses? Are you deeply opposed to more college graduates? Are you excited about the prospect of more jobs moving overseas?

Well, the Republican Party seems to be. I think that makes you what you call a "chump." Let me make sure... Yup, says right here you're a chump.

Knock it off.

-Wisco


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